Bolstering water resources, environmental and higher education collaboration with "strategic" Central Asian countries is the main aim of a meeting in Rome on Wednesday attended by over 30 major firms and trade associations as well as foreign minister Antonio Tajani and counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
“Italy views with great interest the opportunities presented to Italian companies in Central Asia: establishing a strategic partnership with Central Asian countries and strengthening economic and industrial cooperation in the fields of water resources, the environment, and higher education is a priority," Tajani said in a statement.
"For this reason, over 30 of the most important Italian companies and trade associations will attend today’s meeting,” Tajani added.
At the 3rd Italy-Central Asia ministerial meeting held at Villa Madama, round tables will focus on the green transition, global challenges, connectivity and higher education as well as knowledge networks, according to the statement.
Academics and European Commission representatives are also attending Wednesday's meeting, the statement said.
As part of its ongoing drive to bolster commercial and diplomatic ties with Central Asia, the government has already organised business and investment forums with Kazakhstan (in January), with Tajikistan (in April) and with Uzbekistan (in June last year), the statement noted.
Business activities with other countries in the region are currently being planned as part of the government's growth diplomacy strategy, the statement added.
Special attention is being paid to regional projects in the infrastructure, agriculture, machinery and energy fields. These projects involve all Central Asian countries, the statement underlined.
